Possibility of equatorial orbit without MechJeb?

[jploh]

I've began work on my second station after the first one exploded. Is there a way to have a near-perfect equatorial orbit without MechJeb? I can't set Kerbin as the target preventing me from seeing the orbital nodes.

Side question: My first space station exploded while trying to retrieve a floating vessel nearby (switched vessels then it blew up). I just docked the fifth module to the station and it was wobbling too much before it exploded. The core is poorly planned and lacked support. I'm still in denial so my question is: did the station explode because of the stress from the wobbling or the number of parts (which I think is well over 500)?

[Nibb31]

KSC is on the equator, so just launch east and you will get a pretty good equatorial orbit.

Causes for exploding stations are wobble and sometimes clipping parts.

[corvus2606]

some mods also have trouble with switching vesels causing them to explode. something about physics loading. best bet if you're using mod parts is to always switch via the space center.

[razark]

Is there a way to have a near-perfect equatorial orbit without MechJeb?

Yes. It depends on how careful you are, and how you define "near-perfect".

I can't set Kerbin as the target preventing me from seeing the orbital nodes.

Set Mun as your target. You can then use the ascending and descending nodes to figure out your inclination. 0.0 degrees is close. NaN is best.

[jploh]

KSC is on the equator, so just launch east and you will get a pretty good equatorial orbit.

Causes for exploding stations are wobble and sometimes clipping parts.

Problem is the ship veers South (or North) sometimes. I haven't perfected my launch stages yet.

Edited May 4, 2013 by jploh

[jploh]

Yes. It depends on how careful you are, and how you define "near-perfect".

Set Mun as your target. You can then use the ascending and descending nodes to figure out your inclination. 0.0 degrees is close. NaN is best.

I'll try this. How do you get the values of the inclination in the map though? Or do I see it in the navball?

[maackey]

mouse over the ascending/descending nodes (when the mun is targeted). It is a very similar procedure to changing your apoapsis/periapsis but instead of burning prograde/retrograde at ap/pe, you burn normal/antinormal at an/dn.

[rryy]

When you are orbiting Kerbin, you can just set the Mun as target to help getting into an equatorial orbit. If your are in orbit around another body, say Minmus, you can open up the debug menu (Alt+F12) and look at the line in the top right that says "Lat." If it is decreasing, point normal (if it is increasing, point antinormal) until the number is nearly at 0. When it is nearly zero, increase the throttle and immediately cut it. Keep repeating this until your latitude stops straying too far from zero.

[Jason Patterson]

When you are orbiting Kerbin, you can just set the Mun as target to help getting into an equatorial orbit. If your are in orbit around another body, say Minmus, you can open up the debug menu (Alt+F12) and look at the line in the top right that says "Lat." If it is decreasing, point normal (if it is increasing, point antinormal) until the number is nearly at 0. When it is nearly zero, increase the throttle and immediately cut it. Keep repeating this until your latitude stops straying too far from zero.

Doing this can get you into an orbit that is inclined by less than 0.001 degrees without trying too hard. I use this info all the time and do exactly what rryy is suggesting.